Dreamer
by Shado-chan
Summary: So now my time is up! Eh, better make the most of it. Leading an army of rebellious stickmen straight into the thicket of war sounds exciting, huh?
1. How it Ended

"Ace," Dash pestered. "Is something wrong?"

". . ." Ace stared at his friend for a few seconds, and then turned his gaze back out over the ridge. "I killed her."

Dash froze. "What?"

He whirled around to face the other, making Dash step back a bit and me flinching from my spot atop the gravestone. Shadows covered most of his face, but his eyes were alight with sorrow and guilt.

"I killed her!" He repeated, more forcefully now. "I killed Sola! She dies because of me!"

Dash blinked. "This . . . is the truth . . .?" he asked, shocked. Ace slumped to his knees and nodded once, his body wracking with sobs. "Just kill me already," he whispered, his voice breaking. "I don't deserve to live."

"No," Dash replied flatly. "That would be treason. And . . ." He walked up to Ace and looked down at him. "I would never kill a friend."

Ace looked up at him. "Why . . .?"

* * *

><p>That was how it ended . . . I am getting ahead of myself here.<p>

This is how it started . . .


	2. Almost!

_Ah . . .?_

_What is this place . . .?_

A pitch-black void surrounded me; no light, no color. Just black. Turning around in a circle, I could see it expanded in all directions.

"This place?" a familiar voice repeated naively, and then chuckled. "It's anything you want it to be."

I whirled around and saw probably the last person I would ever want to see in my life. Xero. One of his hair-spikes fell down into his face, covering his right eye, while the other stood straight up, and the rest of his blond hair spiked up like a pyramid—doing nothing to color his pale skin. His body—like mine—was a stick. A long cape clasped at his neck and billowed out by an unseen wind, and his arms were folded together.

_Xero . . . _I tried calling out, and then slapped my hands over my mouth. _Ah! Why can't I talk?_

Xero chuckled again. "Don't worry," he reassured. "I can still hear you."

I slowly removed my hands from my mouth and cocked my head in confusion. _You said this place is anything I wanted to be. What did you mean?_

"Think of a place," he explained, motioning with his hands, "anything your heart desires and it'll appear here.

"Just relax . . ."

I closed my eyes and a cold wind blew through my caramel-colored hair. The scent of cherry blossoms filled the air, and my eyes slowly opened.

There was a cherry tree in full bloom a little ways in front of me. The ground was like a grassy garden, and I stumbled over rocks and the roots of the tree that were sprawling everywhere as I tried to walk. A stray blossom broke off from the tree and floated into my hand. A wide grin broke onto my face and I broke away from Xero, twirling around in the storm of flowers, giggling when I saw he looked disgusted.

"You obviously like cherry blossoms," he observed.

_Obviously!_

"But don't you know?" He walked over and stopped in front of me, motioning to the tree. "Underneath each cherry tree . . . is a buried corpse!"

I took a step back, horror in my gaze. _A – A corpse?_

"Why do you think cherry trees bloom so prettily each year?" he continued. "It's because of the corpse." He reached up and a blossom fell into his outstretched palm. "You see, the flowers on this tree used to be white.

"Pure white, like snow."

He turned and looked at me with those demon-like eyes of his, glittering maliciously. "So, how do you think they turned that pale crimson shade? It's because they drink the blood from the corpse underneath the tree."

I felt tears around my eyes, but had no idea why I was crying. _But doesn't that hurt the person underneath the tree?_

He blinked, a surprised expression registering on his face, but it soon faded as he chuckled. "Look, I'll cut a deal with you." He got onto one knee, looking up at me. "If we ever meet again . . ."

A harsh wind blew, and it quickly drowned out his voice as he spoke. _I'm sorry—I can't hear you over all this wind!_

"But today . . ." he stood and put a hand on my shoulder. "I will let you go."

* * *

><p>I blinked open my eyes, staring up at the blackened-indigo color of the ceiling of my tent. <em>Was that . . . a dream? <em>I sat up, rubbing my head. _And why the heck was Xero in it?_

I put my face into my hands. _Forget, _I told myself. _That way you can always start from the beginning._

Flashes of the dream battled for supremacy in my head though and I half-gasped, half-groaned, falling back onto the bamboo mat I had rested on earlier. _Ah! This is too hard!_

The opening flap of the tent slid open and I scrambled to a sitting position. "Yeah?"

Dash walked in and stood in front of me. Like always, he had on the white ninja-like headband with the four-lined star on it, the thing tied around his head and flowing to his waist. His dirty white jeans brushed down to the floor and I tried to keep my eyes on his deep amber gaze. "It's almost time. Are you ready yet?"

I looked down guiltily. I wasn't even wearing mine, so my hair fell into my face and covered my eyes. "Not really . . ."

He sighed, placing his hands on my shoulders and becoming eye lever. "Sola. You know we've been waiting a long time for this. All of us. You need to know how urgent this is."

"Fine," I grumbled, not meeting his eyes.

"Good." He stood and backed out.

I stood also and stretched, grabbing my sword and slipping it into its sheath, strapping the thing onto my back and tying my own, deep blue headband around my head, putting my sneakers on and lacing them up, getting back up and walking out of the tent. The rest of the army was just starting to gather.

All of us—out of the thousands of sticklings who joined first, only the few hundred or so were left—have laid siege on Xero's castle for about two weeks now. Tonight, we plan to storm the castle and take it down by force, along with him and his allies. If we win, this'll all be over. Finally.

Nightfall came quickly, and torchlights sprang up over the clearing. I locked eyes with Dash and nodded once. First, a prep talk to rally the crowd. Then it starts.

He walked up to a tall, narrow rock that we use to make announcements. From there, the whole army could be seen, their faces pale in the torchlight. I stood at his side, on the ground, while he spoke.

"Everyone." His voice rang out across the area. "We've waited quite a while. So tonight, we will prevail! We will fight, win, and end this war! We will be free!"

Whoops and hollers came from every corner of the area, and Dash jumped off the rock and looked over at me. "Where's Ace?" he asked. I rolled my eyes. "Point position," I answer. "Like always."

"What about me?" Ace suddenly appeared in front of me and I jumped, falling back into the dirt. Dash snickered, and when I stood up I slapped him. "Not funny," I growled. Ace gave a discreet cough and repeated his question, clearly annoyed.

"Just wondering where you were," Dash replied, shifting from one foot to the other. I don't blame him. Ace's dark maroon gaze was making me uncomfortable.

He narrowed his eyes suspiciously, but only said, "Get to your positions. We're about to head in." With that, he disappeared back to point position. Dash groaned quietly. "The kid thinks he's lieutenant general," he muttered, running off and standing on his left. I walked over and took my position on his right. We were ready.

* * *

><p>"Master," Mith said from behind me. "The rebels are about to attack. Should we take action?"<p>

"Let them come," I decided. "But take our fighters and ambush them halfway up. Also, activate the traps around the inside perimeter. They should not make it here."

"Yes, master." He stood and his footsteps receded out the doorway.

I tightened my grip on my sword handle, looking out the turret-like slit that made for the window. My eyes rested on the brown-haired girl right of the point position, and I growled. That girl . . . she set me on edge.

I turned around, facing away from the window. Best not to think about it.

* * *

><p><strong>So. How'd you guys like it? This is my first hatenian fanfic, but it's relatively easy writing about stick figures (check out 'Paradise of Light and Shadow' on my FP account, Shado-2012) for me. XD Please r&amp;r!<br>And another note- I do NOT own Mith or Xero. They are both owned by BosS on Hatena (id:Hate) and I just felt the story wouldn't be complete without them. (lulz.)**

**:S:**


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